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19th May 2025
05:24pm BST
Co-op members have voted in favour of banning all Israeli items from their stores.
At the company's Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Saturday (May 17), a majority of 72.8% supported a motion to cease trading with Israel and show "moral courage and leadership."
The motion is advisory and non-binding, but if enforced it could come into effect as soon as this summer, the Telegraph reports.
Members had previously compared the situation to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, when the Co-op became the first grocer to stop selling Russian goods in 2022.
In April, Co-op members called for the firm to stop selling Israeli products, saying the country had "completely destroyed Gaza."
They called on the company to show the same "ethical principles and values" as it had with the Russia boycott.
Responding to questions around the AGM vote on social media, a Co-op representative wrote: "At our AGM yesterday an advisory members’ motion on trading with Israel got passed, and we are currently reviewing our global sourcing policies, to ensure they reflect both our values and principles and views of our members."
The group Palestine Solidarity Campaign said the Co-op "must now listen to its members and implement the motion by taking all Israeli goods off the shelves.”
They said it demonstrated "ordinary people in this country are committed to the cause of justice and freedom for Palestine in their everyday lives and refuse to support Israel’s apartheid economy."
Meanwhile, voluntary organisation UK Lawyers for Israel said the motion "contains false and defamatory statements, promotes racial hatred of Israelis and Jews, and should be rejected under the Co-op’s rules.”
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